Goodtimes Elims, Sires Stakes Big Steps For Colts

The first major stakes event on the Hambletonian Trail, the Goodtimes Trot, is preparing for its final on the under-card of the North America Cup Saturday, June 20. Of the 15 entered into two eliminations going on Friday, June 12, six are staked to the August classic.

The opening elim features solely Iron and Canepa Hanover in terms of eligibility, with Canepa Hanover also being the likely public choice off his victory in the New Jersey Sires Stakes. In light of that circumstance, we’ll opt for the other hopeful, Iron, who enters off a victory in his seasonal debut. 

Jimmy Takter trains two Hambletonian hopefuls in the other elimination--French Laundry and The Bank. The duo will compete against two other hopefuls, Win The Day and Infiniti As, with three non-eligibles. While the Takterian [sic] Armada is strong again this year, Anette Lorentzon may have a strong competitor in Infiniti As, who enters off an 8-length victory in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots series as the favorite in his first start of the season. 

Saturday, 13, more Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) money rolls out of the state-bred program for colt trotters at Pocono. Healthy purses of $74,000 plus are the rewards in three divisions.

The first split, an evenly matched nine, will probably not find a hopeful the favorite. Newcastle has four wins in six starts and should get an edge in the betting over another colt untargeted for the big race, Wicker Hanover.

Trond Smedshammer has a debut soph here, coming with every intention of shooting for history. The Donado Hanover colt, Donatomite, must be respected first time out, especially since Takter’s hopeful, Walter White, will fight from post 8 and the hopefuls here, including Dapper Dan (post 9), will work harder than Trond’s colt, leaving from post 1. Donatomite should be supported now, when a good price is probably available.

PASS division two sends two current Takter stars to post—Pinkman and Whom Shall I Fear. However, a hopeful and well-regarded colt new to the division makes his debut. That son of Cantab Hall is Billy Flynn. He shares the debut spotlight with Centurion Atm, Ake Svanstedt’s frosh fireball.

The raw numbers, of course, are shared with Takter’s duo but the money will be in any surprises that come from the new two. There should be a lot of speed here and if it causes Pinkman and company a problem (Boots N Chains will be gunning from post 1, too) then Billy Flynn will take advantage of the jet stream. Go with the upset.

The third chapter of the PASS parade has only two non-eligible colts, so the heat is on for six of the others to defeat Takter’s Uncle Lassie. We are sticking with Cruzado Dela Noche, Takter’s daughter’s colt. Nancy Johansson is priming this colt, who has matured since two and is apt to get better in the last two months of the “Trail.”

The racing of classic divisions—soph-colt-and-filly trotters—on their quest to the Hambletonian and “Oaks” finals continues its exclusive, extended coverage from TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society.

Recaps of races covered in this blog can be found at the archive section of the web’s home for the Hambletonian Society.